I challenge anyone to give me good reason for texting while driving.

Keep doing it, man. A single message can do a bit of difference. You know how trendy people are. A friend came over yesterday, and I'll say something to disparage the phone fanatics (as if he's not involved), usually by association, which seems to work.

"That guy must have no fucking life.. Playing Candy Crush.. Holding the phone like his pecker - probably still a virgin"

I got into the cell phone business in my teens, late 90s.. By 2005, I had my own brick and mortar store (funny how we have to qualify a store nowadays, since everything is Amazon, etc.), and I saw first-hand the damage. I remember one customer never having a cell phone, and he finally got one, and a few weeks, he came in, and was seriously going crazy because it wasn't working (he hit Airplane Mode, and never bothered to read), and I thought to myself, "20 minutes ago, you didn't even have this piece of shit!".

I also know I can be lured into that pathetic world, so I always got the cheapest phone (and to sell the expensive stuff to my customers). This place is my "social media", but I think watching a movie or reading a book is more productive, but the laptop also has that -- movies, e-books (which I like, because I can do searches, and because the text is much larger on my TV screen), and all my music, documents, etc..

Everything is an acronym or abbreviation now. And most people are too full of ego to ask for clarification. I have younger cousins, and since I saw them born, I have an extra caring for them than I do other cousins. I'll be talking to them, and they just nod, and sooner than later, I realize they have no idea what I said. So I'll ask, "Do you know what the word 'vicarious' means?"

"Yes"
"What does it mean?"
"I have no idea what it means"

And that upsets me.. Don't be afraid to admit you don't know - it's the only way you learn. And then in an attempt to put us on equal footing, I'll show them the paperback dictionary right next to me. "I need to improve my vocabulary, too" and try to let them know there's thousands of words I don't know, and to basically say there's so much to learn.

Another cousin only likes basketball, but he doesn't know a damn thing besides numbers, which anyone can read. I've explained The Triangle Offense to him, and sometimes as a joke, I'll ask. "Yeah I know" - "What is it?" - "I don't remember".

I hardly ever talk to my siblings on the phone, but they "like' every other fucking word. I don't like telling them, but I noticed saying it while I was talking to them. People's vocabulary is largely determined by those they hear, and if a majority talks 12-yr old shit, so will most. There's a balance of not being condescending, but also wanting to communicate, so sometimes a simple word can be enough.

I remember a girl spending the night, and when I woke up, I noticed she had a fucking phone in her hand! My 2-yr old niece went ballistic when I took her laptop/tablet.. My mother spoils her (my sister says "no candy, no tea", but she does it anyway) by allowing her to throw fits, and if this shit goes uncorrected, it will stick. 18-months and a little girl already knows to "SKIP ADS"?

I was born in the 80s, but we never had "play dates" and things just happened organically. The problem is if all the neighborhood kids are inside, then those who desire to go outside, play sports, walk, talk, etc., won't or can't because they have no peers.

I seriously don't understand most of the bullshit slang out there, and I'm not interested, but I'll cynically say, "Oh, you must be really old, because I have no idea what you're talking about" (they are under the assumption everyone likes it, that's in the "in" thing).

Back to movies and music... People watching 2-hours on a little 3" screen, not paying attention, barely seeing and hearing the stuff, to only say, "It was BORING" (conditioned response, instead of the truth).